Calla lily plant named &#39;Toronto&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘Toronto’ is a new variety of calla lily plant having inflorescences with a purple/red-colored spathe that produces 4-16 inflorescences per tuber. The height of the top of an inflorescence above the soil can reach up to 44 cm. The leaves are green with transparent maculations present and have a leathery texture.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/498,157, having a filing date of Dec. 15, 2016, and entitled “Varieties of Calla Lily Plants”, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Botanical classification: Zantedeschia sprengeri.

Varietal denomination: ‘Toronto’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of calla lily, botanically known as Zantedeschia sprengeri and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Toronto’.

‘Toronto’ is a product of a planned breeding program, which had the objective of creating Zantedeschia hybrids for pot flower production in a wide range of colors with a large, classic flower shape. The breeding program began in 1989, and the new cultivar is a seedling selected from the crossing of a Zantedeschia sprengeri selection referred to as Z041373 (female parent, unpatented) with a Zantedeschia sprengeri selection referred to as Z050902-797 (male parent, unpatented). ‘Toronto’ was selected in 2012 by the inventor in 't Zand, The Netherlands as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Toronto’ by tissue culture was performed by the inventor in September of 2012 in 't Zand, The Netherlands. Subsequent asexual reproductions by tissue culture at the same location have demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are retained and reproduced true to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown from 12 to 14 weeks in 14 cm pots in 't Zand, The Netherlands under greenhouse conditions, which approximate those generally used in horticultural practice. Color references are made to The 2001 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used.

The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and determined to be basic characteristics of ‘Toronto’ which, in combination, distinguish this calla lily as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Purple/red-colored spathes; and     -   2. High inflorescence production.

Further, when compared to calla lily plant named ‘Sumatra’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,013), the upper surface spathe color of ‘Sumatra’ varies between Red-Purple Group RHS 59A and 59B, whereas the upper surface spathe color of ‘Toronto’ varies between Red-Purple Group RHS 60A and 61B.

Table 1 provides similarities and differences of ‘Toronto’ to its parents, Zantedeschia sprengeri selection Z041373 and Zantedeschia sprengeri selection Z050902-797.

TABLE 1 ‘Toronto’ Similarities Differences Z041373 Spathe shape Spathe color Number of inflorescences Spathe size Z050902-797 Spathe size Spathe shape Spathe color Number of inflorescences Plant height

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying photographic drawing illustrates the new variety, with the colors being as nearly true as is possible with color illustrations of this type:

FIG. 1 is a photograph of a plant of the new variety.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

-   The plant:     -   -   Size.—Height of the leaf canopy above the soil: 17-40 cm.             Height of top of inflorescences above the soil: 15-44 cm.             Diameter: 8-11 cm.         -   Form.—Erect.         -   Number of inflorescences per tuber.—Size 14-16 cm in             diameter: 4-7 inflorescences. Size 16-18 cm in diameter:             7-13 inflorescences. Size 18-20 cm in diameter: 8-14             inflorescences. Size 20+ cm in diameter: 10-16             inflorescences.         -   Branches.—Character: Similar to ‘Picasso’ (U.S. Plant Pat.             No. 15,282). Color: Between Green Group RHS 143A and             Yellow-Green Group RHS 144B.         -   Leaves.—Size: Width: 3-10 cm. Length: 10-26 cm. Number per             plant: 25-32. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Apiculate. Base:             Decurrent. Margin: Undulate; having a color between             Yellow-Green Group RHS 146A and 147B. Color: Upper surface:             Green Group RHS 137B to Yellow-Green Group RHS 146C, having             transparent maculations of approximately White Group RHS             155A. Lower surface: Yellow-Green Group RHS 146A to 146C,             having transparent maculations of approximately White Group             RHS 155A. Veins: Configuration: Pinnate. Color: Upper             Surface: Yellow-Green Group RHS 144A to 147B. Lower Surface:             Yellow-Green Group RHS 146A to 147B. Surface quality:             Leathery. Petiole: Length: 12-17 cm. Diameter: 5-20 mm.             Color: The base is White Group RHS 155A, the upper part is             Yellow-Green Group RHS 144A to 146C.         -   Roots.—Color: White. Branching: Similar to other             Zantedeschia varieties. -   The inflorescence and seeds:     -   -   Spathe.—Size: Length (measured from opening to tip): 4-7 cm.             Width: 3-4.5 cm. Height: 5-11 cm. Color: Upper surface:             Varies between Red-Purple Group RHS 60A and 61B. Lower             surface: Varies between Red-Purple Group RHS 61B and 64B.             Vein color: Between Red-Purple Group RHS 61A and 64A. Shape:             Cupped. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Rounded to             undulate. Texture: Smooth (upper and lower surfaces).         -   Spadix.—Size: Length: 14-45 mm. Diameter: 3-12 mm. Color:             Between Yellow Group RHS 12A and 13B. Position relative to             spathe: Upright.         -   Peduncle.—Size: Length: 10-33 cm. Diameter: 4-12 mm. Color:             The upper part varies between Yellow-Green Group RHS 144A             and 146A, the lower part is Green-White Group RHS 157C.             Texture: Smooth.         -   Reproductive organs.—Location of female organs: Basal             position of the spadix. Location of male organs: Upper             position of the spadix. Perianth: Conspicuous. Stamens:             Presence: Not visible before pollen release. Number: More             than 20. Pollen amount: Abundant; similar to ‘Picasso’ (U.S.             Plant Pat. No. 15,282). Color: Between White Group RHS 155A             and 155B. Anther: Shape: Round. Length: Less than 1 mm.             Color: Between Yellow Group RHS 12A and 13B. Filament:             Length: Less than 1 mm. Color: Between White Group RHS 155A             and 155B. Pistils: Number: 15 to 30. Length beyond perianth:             About 1 mm. Stigma: Shape: Round. Size: Less than 1 mm.             Style: Length: Less than 1 mm. Color: Varies between Yellow             Group RHS 12B and Yellow-Orange Group RHS 15A. Ovaries:             Texture: Smooth. Length: Between 1 to 10 mm. Width: Between             1 to 10 mm. Color: Top color is between Red Group RHS 53C             and Red-Purple Group RHS 59C, the bottom color is between             White Group RHS 155B to Green-White Group RHS 157C.         -   Seeds.—Length: 4-7 mm. Width: 3-6 mm. Color: Between             Yellow-Green Group RHS 150A and 151A. Amount: Between 1-60. -   General:     -   -   Disease resistance.—No unusual susceptibility to diseases             noticed to date.         -   Pest resistance.—No unusual susceptibility to pests noticed             to date.         -   Heat tolerance.—No heat tolerance.         -   Hardiness.—Not hardy.         -   Flowering.—In general, the time from planting to first             flowering takes eight weeks. However, tubers stored for a             longer period before planting may flower earlier — up to             five weeks after planting.         -   Lastingness.—About two weeks on the plant.         -   Fragrance.—None. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of calla lily plant named ‘Toronto’ as herein described and illustrated. 